There are many types of buildings and other structures that have flat roofs. It is typically very difficult to protect buildings and other structures that have flat roofs from weather elements such as rain and snow. Flat roofs are typically covered with weather-proof flat roof materials of pre-determined widths and lengths. The weather-proof flat roof materials are unrolled and laid down in an overlapping pattern.
There are many problems associated with applying weather-proof flat roof materials to flat roofs. One problem is that most existing weather-proof flat roof materials require sealing of seams created by laying down the weather-proof flat roof materials in an overlapping pattern. This sealing is typically done by applying heat to the weather-proof flat roof materials from an open-flame heat source such as a blow-torch.
However, since most of the weather-proof flat roof materials are petroleum-based materials, the use of open-flames to seal the weather-proof flat roof materials has lead to many inadvertent fires and caused a number of environmental problems by releasing environmental pollutants and other toxic gases and materials into the atmosphere. As a result, many states have outlawed weather-proof flat roof materials that require sealing with an open-flame.
In addition, many insurance companies have refused to issue liability insurance policies to roofing companies and roofing contractors that continue to use weather-proof flat roof materials that require sealing with an open-flame. Such roofing companies and roofing contractors cannot bid on or receive certain contracts with such liability insurance polices.
Another problem is that some weather-proof flat roof materials for flat roofs are not suitable for certain areas due to their extreme weather. For example, flat roofs in Arizona or other hot climates where high temperatures and sunshine are routine all year long and rain is scarce, have certain characteristics. In contrast, flat roofs in the northern Minnesota where the temperature routinely falls below zero and must protect a structure from snow and ice during the winter months and against heat and humidity during the summer months have different characteristics.
Another problem is that weather-proof flat roof materials for flat roofs typically only come in large rolls of a pre-determined size. For example, a roll of a flat roofing material may come in a coverage size of about “two square” or cover 210 square feet or 19.5 square meters. As is known in the art, a “square” used in the roofing industry is defined as about 100 square feet of roofing surface.
Such large rolls of materials often have to be cut to account for features on a flat roof such as drains, chimneys, ladders, roof openings, etc. These features require the weather-proof flat roof materials be cut and sealed around such features. Sealing such features is often difficult and often leads to leaks and other problems such as pooling or ponding of standing water.
Another problem is that weather-proof flat roof materials for flat roofs typically only come in a few colors such as black, gray, white, etc. It is often desirable to provide weather-proof flat roof materials in more than a few basic colors.
There have been attempts to solve some of the problems associated with flat roofs. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,660,004 entitled “Roofing system for protecting flat roofs or slightly sloped roofs, method of application of said new roofing system and method for reroofing using said new roofing system,” that issued to Blackmon et al., teaches “This invention provides a new roofing system for protecting flat roofs or slightly sloped roofs. This invention also features a method of roofing and a method of reroofing using a new roofing system, said method comprising: (a) removing and relocating debris, including but not limited to leaves and loose roof gravel, from top of a building; (b) using an existing horizontal roof deck as a lower surface of said new roofing system; (c) fastening a horizontal roof support to said horizontal roof deck, and to any ceiling joists lying under the horizontal roof deck, using fasteners; (d) fastening metal sheets to the horizontal roof support using fasteners, said metal sheets inclining upwards from a number of longitudinal outer edges of the lower surface towards a central section of the new roofing system forming a left upper surface and a right upper surface, with a gap existing at the central section between the left upper surface and the right upper surface of the new roofing system; (e) using a number of ridge caps to cover said gap at the central section which is located between the left upper surface and the right upper surface after having placed a number of two-way vents for transmission of air and moisture on the lower surface and at the central section of said new roofing system; (f) setting air conditioning compressors above metal sheets after supplying additional support under said air conditioning compressors and above said metal sheets; (g) sealing existing functional vents, and additional vents that are needed, to the metal sheets at the left upper surface and at the right upper surface of the new roofing system; and (h) attaching prefinished compatible metal gutters to a number of outer edges of the new roofing system such that said metal gutters surround the metal sheets and, thus, the building above which said metal sheets are installed, utilizing a number of down spouts when appropriate and supplying a number of new down spouts when needed and connecting said number of down spouts to the metal gutters.”
U.S. Pat. No. 4,544,593, entitled “Sealing strip,” that issued to Borgert et al. teaches “A sealing strip is provided which is suitable for sealing flat roofs and engineering structures at outer corners. The sealing element is made of a weather-resistant elastomer or plastomer and comprises, in a zone positioned intermediate its ends, at least one pair of areas in the form of oppositely directed waves whose amplitudes and wave-lengths increase regularly from the center line of the strip towards its longitudinal edges so that said zone comprises a planar basal surface and an additional curved a planar sectorial surface corresponding to each wave. The wave-shape areas enable the sealing element to be smoothly laid around an outer corner without straining any areas of the strip.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,330,581, entitled “Sealing element,” that issued to Borgert et al. teaches “A sealing element is provided which is suitable for sealing flat roofs and engineering structures. The sealing element is made of a water-resistant elastomer or plastomer, and comprises a lamelliform structure of substantially circular shape having from three to six waves, inclusively, distributed radially throughout the structure and around the entire circumference of the structure, the amplitudes of which waves increase regularly from the center of the structure towards the circumference. The undulations enable the sealing element to have an effective surface covering more than 360 degree without straining any region of the element.”
However, none of these solutions solve all of the problems associated with flat roofs. Thus, it is desirable to provide weather-proof flat roof materials that overcome the problems associated with weather-proof flat roof materials for flat roofs.